Descriptivists

Question 1

Descriptivists

Answer 1

objectively observe and record language as it is used, not to judge
different language as a variation rather than wrong or deficient

Question 2

oxford english dictionary

Answer 2

first published early 20th century
editors were descriptivists
they stated in the preface that thei aim was to record language as it was, not to prescribe rules

Question 3

Jean Aitchison

Answer 3

considers omission and assimilation, natural occurences in many language
came up with metaphors to describe people anxieties about language use: damp spoon, crumbling castle, infectious disease

Question 4

David Crystal

Answer 4

internet has increased the rate of language change
against the idea that only the young use text-speech and that its ruining the englisj language
uses the metaphor of a tide to describe how laguage is always changing andd disappearing

Question 5

Freeborn

Answer 5

summarises how regional accents are often judged by peoples attitudes and feelings: incorrectness view, ugliness view, impreciseness view

Question 6

Trudgill

Answer 6

language change is inevitable as society changes
the misuse of a word/ grammar doesnt affect the users meaning or the listeners understanding

Question 7

Cameron

Answer 7

descriptivist, but says that prescriptivism shows people care about how our lnguage is used
says fears about language change oten symbolise fears about social problems - as if declining standards of language mirror declining standards in behaviour and education